Michaud is expected to soon finalize a contract for the bout, which serves on the UFC Fight Pass-streamed portion of the May 24 card at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena. Main card bouts air live on pay-per-view, while additional preliminary bouts air on FOX Sports 1.

An official announcement is expected shortly.

A product of the famed MMA Lab in Phoenix, Michaud made a brief appearance on “The Ultimate Fighter 16,” where he was eliminated in the reality show tournament’s opening round by Eddie Ellis.

Michaud returned to the regional stage, where he racked up three straight wins, including two submissions.

Mitchell, who dropped a unanimous decision to Igor Araujo in his octagon debut at UFC Fight Night 37, was forced to withdraw for undisclosed reasons, the promotion announced today. Li, a training partner of UFC vet Tiequan Zhang at China Top Team, has five of his eight career wins by submission. He was won five of his past six bouts.

On the same night that Michael Chandler faced Eddie Alvarez in one of the best fights in Bellator history, Dan Henderson and “Shogun” Rua battered one another in the main event of UFC 139. For fight fans trying to follow along, it was a dizzying and (…)